


make it up to you

by yokmang



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, My First Fanfic, Series Finale, Social Media AU, alternative universe, can still read it as a stand alone, part of a socmed au on twitter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21835852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yokmang/pseuds/yokmang
Summary: It had been a long journey. And not an easy one, to add on it.Taeyong really wanted his happy ending. He felt like he deserved one.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 5
Kudos: 112





	make it up to you

**Author's Note:**

> just wanted to say that this fic is the finale of social media au you can find on twitter here: https://twitter.com/itsyokmang/status/1151262178277597184
> 
> the fic can be read even without knowing the au but it surely is better to read it!

«Let me make it up to you»

  
Taeyong felt like he was in a parallel world. What? _What?_

  
It had been a long journey. And not an easy one, to add on it.

  
Taeyong really wanted his happy ending. He felt like he deserved one.

_But wasn't a bit too late?_

«I don't know Jaehyun» he said. His voice was a bit trembling. He really felt heavy, his hearth sunk deep in his stomach. He didn’t even know where he found the strength to speak up.

  
He wanted a different ending for himself. For _them_. He really did.

  
But he was selfish. He was scared to be hurt again. He didn't trust Jaehyun. He wanted to protect himself.

And isn't trust the first thing in a relationship?

So he left. His mind full of thoughts, his feet as heavy as steel. He left.

  
He felt Jaehyun looking at his back, but he didn't turn back a second time.

§§§

The coffee was cold since ages ago, but Taeyong kept mixing the liquid with his spoon, eyes fixated in the void.

It wasn’t meant to be from the start.

Jaehyun wasn’t interested in him, they were just in a business relationship.  
  


He should’ve known his boundaries. He should’ve been more professional.

Jaehyun did a lot of things wrong on the way, but it was partially his fault too. It wasn’t right for him to blame it all on the other guy.

He should’ve put himself in his shoes and walk a bit in them. Understand his point of view.

They should’ve communicated better.

That would have been enough for things to not go so wrong.

But past can’t be changed or erased. It went as it was meant to.

And he had to accept it.

_Then why was it so hard?_

§§§

The first piece of paper he found was under his doormat. It was about three or four weeks after everything went down.

He didn’t do much in that time.

He kept on with his life, just to not make Kun, Yuta and Doyoung worry.

  
He didn’t see them often though.

  
Yuta and Doyoung were going through the lovey-dovey phase of their relationship, just after they got together. They almost looked like one body with two heads, which was pretty creepy to think about, giving that they still kept bickering at every occasion.

  
But Taeyong was truly happy for them. He really was.

  
But it was painful to see someone else be so happy, when he was feeling so down.

  
He felt ugly and selfish for having those thoughts, but it couldn’t be helped.

  
He just needed time, as he himself said often.

Kun’s love life was also going well. He mentioned about going out with Sicheng _and_ Ten.

At a first glance, Taeyong wouldn’t see possible for the three of them to match. But after giving some thoughts to it, and seeing them together on a few occasions, maybe they were meant for each other.

Kun always heavily blushed every time someone mentioned how he got over his crush quickly, just to find not one hot boyfriend but _two_.

Taeyong was happy for him too.

But, just as Yuta’s and Doyoung’s case, he really couldn’t handle the sight of them together.

Adding the fact that Sicheng was Jaehyun’s cousin, it was truly hard for him.

So he spent a lot of time alone.

It gave him the opportunity to think about a lot of stuff. But it gave him also the opportunity to let his nightmares drown him. To indulge in his tears.

Just to be miserable.

He left his job. He didn’t feel that was a good thing for him anymore, and decided to finally use the money he put aside to try to pursue an acting career. He signed himself for an acting school, hoping for the best.

The others followed him, leaving their jobs too to try something better.

The lessons were good, the people around him were nice, and he already got some friends.

Everyone was kind to him, maybe a bit too much.

It was like they could see how fragile he was just from his face.

He could say his life was going pretty smoothly, beside the sadness.

But it didn’t feel quite right.

He still had a big void inside of him, and he didn’t know how to get rid of it.

Or maybe he did know, but didn’t want to do something about it.

  
The breeze coming from the stairwell startled him and he snapped out of his own mind.

  
He looked at the white sheet on his doormat, finally deciding to pick it up.  
  


It was nice envelope, nothing written on it. Not from who it was, nor the person it was meant for.

Deciding that if it was in front of his door it was probably meant for him, he opened it.

Inside, a small white piece of paper with a hand-drawn rose in one of the corners.

On it there was just a phrase, one sentence, in a beautiful and clean calligraphy.

_The place where we first met._

Taeyong looked at the letter for more seconds than he should’ve had, freezing his ass off. Standing outside the door of his apartment, barefoot and in his pajama wasn’t a good idea.

He quickly got inside, the letter still in his hand.

  
§§§

He sat on the counter of his kitchen. The silence was heavier than usual.

_The place where we first met_.

He read it again. The text was still there. He could feel the coarse surface of the paper against his fingertips.

  
So it was real.

  
He wasn’t imagining it.

Taeyong didn’t need a signature to know from who that was.

  
It was scary. He felt his hands shake a bit, and quickly held them one another to stop.

He felt all kind of things.

  
Anger, fear, _hope_.

  
And the hope made him even angrier. Because he wanted to be selfish.

  
He wanted to not only close that chapter, but the entire book.  
  


So why was his hearth doing tricks on him?

  
Jaehyun had no right to play with his hearth that way. So why was he doing it?  
  
_  
Why?_

  
He took the first thing he could find – the cup of cold coffee from the other day, still full – and crashed it against the wall.

  
He watched as the cup exploded, pieces of ceramic flying around. A big beige stain on his white wall.

  
He closed his eyes, breathing roughly from his nose.

_  
Let me make it up to you_

  
Taeyong didn’t want Jaehyun to do that. He didn’t want to get it over, and be friends.

  
If there was something wrong in all of that, it was Taeyong.

  
He wanted to close the book.

  
But still he hoped, he prayed, that there was a sequel. With his happy ending written on it.

  
He laughed at himself, and went to his bedroom. The piece of paper left on the floor of the kitchen.

§§§

Saying that he was mad at himself would be an euphemism.  
  


He was _furious_.  
  


Taeyong looked at the restaurant front door like it was the entrance of hell.  
  


It had been at least ten minutes since he arrived there.  
  


It had been two days or so since he received the message.  
  


He didn’t intend to go there at first, but then _something _got him move his ass.  
  


Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe it was full stupidity, but he went there.  
  


He didn’t feel his hands anymore, even though he had gloves on. To not talk about the tip of his nose…  
  


Still, he didn’t feel like entering the place.  
  


He stood up there, so still that he could be mistaken for one of the lamp post.  
  


He could see in his head the image of Jaehyun maliciously laughing at his expenses.   
  
Which was a stupid thing to imagine, because Jaehyun never did such things. He acted like an asshole more than once but deep down Taeyong knew he never had an evil intent.

  
Still, he was mad at himself for doing something Jaehyun asked him to.

  
Well, Jaehyun didn’t directly tell him to go to the restaurant they first met to, but it was implicit, right?

  
Right?  
  
  
Taeyong started to think that there was also the possibility that the message wasn’t from Jaehyun to start with, and felt really dumb.

  
He decided that finding what was going on was much less embarrassing then standing in front of a building for hours.

He opened the door, being flooded by memories of that night. How he almost kissed Jaehyun when they didn’t even know each other. How he fell for him at first sight.

  
His cheeks blushed without his permission.

  
He finally remembered he was in a public place, and tried to contain himself. He shyly looked around.

  
Should he ask someone about it?  
  


Before he could even think about it, a man approached him.

  
«You must be Taeyong! You look exactly as he said»  
  
  
Taeyong’s eyes widened. He wanted to ask how he knew his name, who _he _was (even if it was obvious at that point), why the message, what did he have to do there.

  
Instead, he said «How did he say I looked like?»

  
«Shorter than him, beautiful, innocent looking and with big eyes! I knew it was you at first sight»

  
Taeyong blushed, _again_. Pathetic.

  
«But right! You’re here for a reason, I don’t want to keep you waiting. Even though I must say you took your time. But he told me it would be like this»

  
The man kept muttering more to himself than to Taeyong, all of that while he was looking for something inside of his pockets «It should be… yeah! Here it is! For you»  
  
  
He handed him another message «It’s not my place to say anything, but I find it really romantic. Not that I read it! The gesture, I mean. It’s clear he cares about you»  
  
  
The man pinched his cheek and Taeyong felt like burying himself in a big hole just right there.

  
He didn’t say anything, just thanked him and went out of the restaurant with his new message.

  
With hands shaking from the cold, he opened the piece of paper. He noticed the rose on the corner lost a petal.  
  
  
  
It read “_It’s the best thing on a hot summer day…”_

  
  
Taeyong couldn’t stop himself from chuckling. So now they moved on to riddles?

  
What was that, a treasure hunt?

  
Taeyong shook his hand.

  
He knew where he had to go

§§§

He didn’t know why he was doing all of that, and stopped asking himself. He was smiling for the first time in weeks, and that’s everything that mattered.

  
He went inside the ice-cream parlor, the same one where they went together on their first “date” to meet Sicheng.

  
The ice cream woman brightly smiled at him «Taeyong right?»

  
He timidly nodded.

  
«What’s your favorite ice-cream Taeyong?»

  
Taeyong looked at her confused. Was it like a quiz? To get his message?

  
«Vanilla!»

  
She smiled again «Then here you go»

  
She handed him the ice-cream, nicely wrapped in a piece of paper. He went to take his wallet out when she stopped him.

  
«Someone already paid for it, don’t worry. Just be careful to not spill it» she winked at him.

  
He blushed for the nth time. On that pace, his cheeks will burn so much they’ll fall off.

  
So Jaehyun remembered his favorite flavor of ice-cream. That’s fine. That’s ok. It’s a normal thing to do for someone really attentive.

  
  
It doesn’t mean anything.

  
  
He finished his ice-cream in a time-record span. Then he finally looked at the piece of paper.

  
He actually ended spilling a drop of vanilla ice-cream on it, but he could still read the text.

_  
0221190114  
  
_  
Taeyong looked at the numbers in confusion. What did it mean?

  
He didn’t remember some numbers being particularly relevant to them.

  
It kinda looked like a phone number though.

  
Taeyong was too shy to call someone. Also who would it be?

  
What if that wasn’t the answer? Taeyong blushed at the idea of some stranger laughing at him when he explained what was going on.

  
Maybe he could search it on internet!

  
“_What is 0221190114?”_  
  
  
The first result was a cypher. Well! That made sense. He put the numbers into the cypher.

_  
“Reverse Busan”_

  
Oh. Oh!

  
The weekend in Busan they spent together. That was the first time Taeyong felt like he had to end everything with Jaehyun…

  
But it was also a really funny time. He met his friends, spent time together. Almost kissed him (again).

  
Did Jaehyun want him to go all over Busan? That seemed like a weird thing to do. Busan was hours away.

  
But what did he mean with “reverse”?

  
These puzzles were getting hard.

  
He sat on a bench, thinking more about it.

  
Taeyong scrolled through the cypher, not knowing what to do.

  
  
Reverse…

  
  
He straightened his back, an idea finally coming up. He wrote the numbers the other way around.

_  
“Call Moon”_

  
Uhm…

  
Moon.

  
Moon!

  
Taeyong grabbed his phone, scrolling through his contact. And… here he was!  
  
  
Moon Taeil.

  
Taeyong happily called the other.

  
  
…

_  
«Yes? Taeyong?»_

  
«Oh. Uhm. Hi Taeil» he suddenly got shy again. If he wasn’t right it would have been so awkward…

_  
«Hi Yong. Did you eat your ice-cream or is it something else?»_

  
Taeyong beamed «Yeah! I ate it just now. Well, at least ten minutes ago. It was a bit harder to understand this one» he chuckled.

_  
«I guess you’re having fun»_

  
Taeyong didn’t want to admit it, but he was indeed having fun.

  
«Why is Jaehyun doing all of this?» he said himself.

  
«Uhhh it’s not my position to tell! I think you should really wait until the end of the game»

  
«And what if I just drop it right here?»

  
«Nah, you wouldn’t. If you weren’t interested you wouldn’t have gone to the restaurant in the first place»

  
Well. A point for him.

  
«Fair enough. So…»

_  
«My hint for you is: Netflix and chill?»  
  
_  
…

  
«What does that even mean?»

_  
«I have no clue! You should be the one knowing, not me»_

  
Ugh.

  
«Well, thanks Taeil! Have a good day»

_  
«Bye Yong!»_

  
  
So.  
  
_  
Netflix and chill?_

  
They had a movie night, Taeyong remembers it. He remembers how they had that stupid battle about who would fall asleep faster – and how he completely lost. He remembers Jaehyun tickling him, and then how they watched the stars together.  
  
  
It was… nice.

  
But that didn’t answer is question. Where should he go?

  
Uhm maybe…

  
«Sorry?»

  
The ice-cream woman looked at him with wide eyes, surprised to see him still there.

  
«Do you know if there is a movie rental shop near here?»

§§§

There was indeed a movie rental shop near.

  
Taeyong literally ran there. His breath was heavy when he got to the cashier, who looked at him quite amused.

  
«So you’re definitely the guy. You took your time, huh?»

  
Taeyong grunted.

  
«Just gimme the message»

  
The cashier blinked twice «I don’t have a message. I have a DVD though»

  
The guy passed him a DVD. Beauty and the Best. The last movie they watched that night, before Taeyong fell asleep.

  
He smiled at the cover.

  
«Can I keep it?»

  
«Sure. The other guy paid for it so. Can you move now? I have customers to serve»

  
Taeyong looked behind himself startled. Two persons were behind him waiting for their turn.

  
He bowed to them, then went out.

  
  
It was starting to get darker.

  
  
He looked at the DVD, turning it around, looking for a message.

  
After scanning the outside, not finding anything, he opened the box.

  
A piece of paper almost flied away.

  
Taeyong grabbed it, opening it eagerly.

_  
  
Sometimes when you’re sad good company is the answer. Sometimes sugar is._

  
  
Taeyong chuckled. He remembered that day. He fought with his friends, and Jaehyun came to his house with candies and sweets.

  
Taeyong felt so special and _loved_.

  
He blushed.

  
He almost wanted to go inside and ask if there was a supermarket near who sold candies or maybe a bakery, when he noticed it.

  
  
A candy shop.

  
  
He got inside, the sound of a bell accompanying him.

  
The shop was small but very welcoming. The intern was in wooden and jars full of colorful candies were everywhere. On the walls, on the shelves, on the floor in the corners, on the counter, everywhere.

  
Taeyong felt his mouth watering. He just loved sweets so much.

  
And old lady with a pink apron greeted him. The smell of sugar embraced him, and he spontaneously smiled.

  
«Good afternoon sweetie! You’re the guy with the kind eyes I was told about, right?»

  
Taeyong got red «I guess I am»

  
«Oh sure you are! You’re so beautiful my dear. Here you go» she took one of his hands, dropping a candy inside.

  
«Don’t throw the wrap away» she whispered in his ear «And please come back together soon!»

  
He smiled at the woman, waving while going out of the shop.

  
Taeyong unwrapped the candy, putting it in his mouth. Strawberry invaded his mouth. It was delicious. He loved strawberry.

  
Was that also Jaehyun’s influence, or was it just a coincidence?

  
He finished the candy, before looking at the wrapping. He stretched the paper, who got wrinkles, like it was the most precious thing ever. It got kind of sticky because of the candy, but it also smelled like strawberry.

_  
  
Where the stars are closer_.

  
  
Taeyong immediately got it. He didn’t even need a second moment to think about it.

  
  
It was the final destination.

§§§

_Where the stars get closer  
  
  
_

Taeyong almost reached the top of the hill. The breeze became sharper, and the sun was completely down by now, replaced by a beautiful full moon and a few stars dancing around it.

  
He didn’t know what to expect.

  
The closer he got, the smaller his steps got. He didn’t know if he was ready.

  
It was already two months from the day everything went downhill. He should’ve been ready by now for a real confrontation. No schemes, no games, no silly revenge.

  
Just a confrontation.

  
But it was easier told than done.

  
The air in his throat felt like blades. He adjusted his scarf.

  
Just a bush to separate him from the final destination.

  
  
From where he and Jaehyun really kissed – finally, on the third trial.

  
Where Taeyong felt on cloud nine, the happiest he had ever been.

  
Where Taeyong also felt the saddest.

  
Where Jaehyun left him without an explanation.

  
  
It was a crime to think something so wrong happened under such beautiful stars.

  
Maybe this time it could go different.

  
Taeyong closed his eyes and went on.

§§§

He felt a bit stupid, standing there, his eyes closed.

  
But he didn’t know what else to do.

  
He heard something, _someone_, move. But he kept his eyes closed.

  
In the back of his mind he knew it wasn’t a smart thing to do. It could have been a serial killer in front of him.

  
But his eyelids kept shut.

  
Even after his hands were grabbed.

  
The other hands, _his _hands – Taeyong was sure about it – were warm. And gentle.

  
They squeezed his own for a brief second. Like the other couldn’t believe he was there, he was real.

  
Taeyong wanted to yell something like “Yeah, same”.

  
But he kept silent.

  
«Yong»

  
Taeyong bit his bottom lip. Yeah.

  
It was definitely him.

  
«Jaehyun»

  
The other chuckled a bit «Sorry. It’s just a bit funny. Do you mind opening your eyes?»

  
Oh if Taeyong minded. He minded _a lot_.

  
But he still opened them.

  
He blinked one, two, three times, before finally focusing on the situation in front of him.

  
First of all, Jaehyun.

  
Taeyong felt like _whining_, because Jaehyun was _that _beautiful. His hair styled backward, his eyes so big and kind, his dimples showing from the uneasy expression he had on.

  
Taeyong felt just like the first time they met.

  
«Did you like the ice-cream?»

  
Taeyong bursted out laughing «That’s the first thing you want to say to me?»

  
Jaehyun chuckled «Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry» he left one of his hands, just to scratch his nape in uneasiness «I’m sorry» he repeated.

  
Taeyong caught the other’s hand in his almost angrily.

  
Jaehyun visibly held his breath.

  
  
«I… I’m sorry it took me so much time. So much time to figure everything. So much time to reach to you. So much time organizing all of this. You wouldn’t even imagine how much time it takes to get that many people just to keep a small piece of paper!» he nervously laughed «But this is not what I wanted to say. I’m sorry. I’m so nervous. I… Taeyong I’ve been a dumbass. And I know this is not enough» he gestured around himself «But I hoped that maybe if I made you remember all of our good memories, they could’ve make the bad ones fade. Even just a little. I know I’m asking you a lot, since I’ve been such an asshole-»

  
«Oh stop it» Taeyong cut him.

  
Jaehyun widened his eyes and closed his mouth at the same time.

  
«I wasn’t that good either. I cared just about me. I didn’t understand where you came from. I didn’t give you time to figure your feelings. I didn’t even communicate mines! I never told you how much I fucking love you! And then I acted like a brat, trying to make you jealous, while you were going through some rough existential crisis. I’m not the good guy. Maybe you could’ve act better. But so do I. So don’t put all the blame on yourself. I’m sorry too. And I shouldn’t have pushed myself on you, knowing you’re straight and everything…» Taeyong voice faded out on his last sentence.

  
Jaehyun looked at him like he was an alien, making _him_ the uneasy one.

  
«What?» he abruptly said.

  
«Did… did you say that you love me?»

  
Oh. Oh _shit._

_  
That _was embarrassing.

  
«Taeyong»

  
Confessing while ranting to the guy who’s trying to get your friendship back! Wow! An absolute idiot thing to do!

  
«Taeyong»

  
If he could just disappear! Oh would it be so nice! He wasn’t ready for all of that embarrassment.

  
«Taeyong. I love you too»

  
Maybe if he closed his eyes and thought about being in another place- Wait.

_  
  
What._

  
  
«Taeyong. Do you really think I would’ve done all of this just for a friend?»

  
Uh. Maybe?  
  
  
He’s a kind guy after all.  
  
  
Taeyong felt really dumb, while looking at the other.

  
  
«Taeyong, I love you. I love you so much it’s crazy I didn’t realize it before. I love everything about you. I love you so much I just want to yell it from this hill, so everyone knows. And I’m sorry it took me so much time to realize. I’m sorry I had to screw everything up so much for me to realize. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry for every single tears I caused. But I hope you can forgive me. And give me the time to make it up to you. Can you?»

  
Make it up to you.

_  
  
Let me make it up to you.  
  
_  
  
Oh. Ohhhh.  
  
  
So that was what he meant.

  
He hugged the other thight.

  
«Yes. Yes yes yes. We’re both dumb. We’re so so _so _dumb oh my god. I love you too»

  
Jaehyun giggled in his ear, and Taeyong felt like dying.

  
Was this his happy ending? Was it a dream?

  
«Is it too soon to ask you if I can kiss you?» Jaehyun whispered in his ear.

  
Jeez.

  
«I would say it’s a bit too late» he said, almost irritated.

  
«I’m sorry» Jaehyun said with a smile.

  
«So? Do you plan on being even more late? Just ki-»

  
And so he did. Jaehyun’s lips finally _finally _crashed against his. And nobody was urging to run away.

  
  
Finally.

_  
  
Finally._   
  


  
Maybe it wasn’t the smoothest start for a relationship. But they could make it work. It was like they already passed all the obstacles, and now a nice straight road was in front of them.

  
And finally, they could write a whole new book.   
  
Together.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hi guys! yokmang here!  
so this is not only the finale of the au BUT also my debut on ao3!  
so please give it loads of love since i'm insecure by nature T^T
> 
> if you want to leave your opinion please comment under!! but if you don't want to reveal yourself or don't like ao3 comments feel free to reach me to me on curiouscat at: https://curiouscat.me/yokmang  
or on twitter at @itsyokmang!  
my dms are open and i don't bite!
> 
> until next time, goodbye


End file.
